Saturday, November 19, 2005

OTTAWA (CP) — Records show a privately owned airplane that has been linked to an alleged CIA front flew from Newfoundland to the United States on Friday, raising new questions about Canada's role in the fight against terrorism.

Flight data obtained by The Canadian Press reveals the 40-seat turboprop plane travelled from St. John's, N.L., to New Hampshire and finally on to its home base in North Carolina.

The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency has come under scrutiny in recent months over its apparent use of civilian aircraft to ferry terrorism suspects around the globe.

Ottawa engineer Maher Arar says in 2002 he was bundled aboard a small jet that took him from New Jersey to Washington, D.C., Maine, Rome and eventually Jordan. From there, he was driven blindfolded to Syria, where he was imprisoned and interrogated as a suspected al-Qaida member.

Mr. Arar was a dual Canadian-Syrian citizen, and had every right to be in Canada. But note his final destination: Jordan.

The paper also notes this:

The flight data records obtained Saturday by CP indicate the N196D turboprop left St. John's on Friday for Manchester, N.H., then carried on to Johnston County Airport in Smithfield, N.C.

The airport has been identified as an alleged hub for covert American air operations.

U.S. Federal Aviation Administration records show the plane in question is registered to Devon Holding and Leasing Inc. of Lexington, N.C.

In late May, the New York Times published a photograph of a similar plane, with the identification number N168D, to illustrate a story about the CIA's extensive use of civilian aircraft.

According to FAA records, that plane is also registered to Devon Holding and Leasing.

Hmm...N196, Devon Holding and leasing. Now here is another interesting passage:

John Sifton, an analyst with New York-based Human Rights Watch, said in an interview with La Presse the two Devon aircraft suspected of landing on Canadian soil had the authority to land "on any U.S. military base on the planet."

He said two other aircraft had similar authorization. Those planes also landed in Canada in 2001, according to aircraft registries consulted by the newspaper.

Well guess what Canadians; I think you might have missed a torture plane.

Because here's a picture of non other than flight N196D, in Malta, taken on May 17, 2004.

So we are 1.) Secretly sending planes 2.) Through countries without asking their permission or informing them of the true nature of the flight 3.) To third countries where torture is known to be practiced so we can hand over the suspects.

I keep thinking things can't get much worse, and the Bush administration keeps proving me wrong. Sorry Canada. And victims of torture.

"And, there's a lot of innocent actions in all of this but what has happened this prosecutor, I mean I used to call Mike Isikoff when he worked at the 'Washington Post' the junkyard dog. Well this is a junkyard dog prosecutor and he goes everywhere and asks every question and turns over rocks and rocks under rocks and so forth."

And that case, when I think it is all told, there is going to be nothing to it. And it is a shame. And the special prosecutor in that case, his behavior, in my view, has been disgraceful.

And that case, when I think it is all told, there is going to be nothing to it. And it is a shame. And the special prosecutor in that case, his behavior, in my view, has been disgraceful.

Woodward now:

Woodward expressed some surprise that Fitzgerald hadn't contacted him earlier in the probe, but had high praise for the prosecutor whose investigation he has openly criticized on television. During his time with the prosecutor, Woodward said, he found Fitzgerald "incredibly sensitive to what we do. He didn't infringe on my other reporting, which frankly surprised me. He said 'This is what I need, I don't need any more.'"